Paidha power plant launched

By Vision Reporter

Added 6th February 2006 03:00 AM

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has launched construction of a 3.5MW power plant in Nyagak, about 2km from Paidha, to supply power to West Nile.

By Ronald KalyangoPRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has launched construction of a 3.5MW power plant in Nyagak, about 2km from Paidha, to supply power to West Nile.
The project will involve erection of about 1km of a 33KV transmission line that will serve Arua, Nebbi and Koboko.
The plant, that will cost about $8.5m (sh15.4b), will be constructed by West Nile Rural Electrification Company (WENRECo).
WENRECo is owned by Industrial Promotion Services of Kenya, an affiliate to the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development.
Kabagambe Kaliisa, the permanent secretary in the the energy ministry, said the hydro power plant is a private-public partnership between WENRECo and the Government.
The executive director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Godfrey Turyahikayo, said the plant is the first hydro-project under the Rural Electrification Programme (REP) that will be implemented by REA.
â€œPower is a key factor for development. We expect more investors to come to the region when construction is finished in 18 months,â€ Turyahikayo said.
Nizar Juma, the chairman of WENRECo, said their key obligations include: increasing the number of hours of supply to 18 hours daily from the previous four, upgrading the distribution network to serve an additional 4,000 customers in the concession area within the first five years.
â€œThis will be the main source of future power for West Nile,â€ Juma said.
He said they would develop a 1.5MW thermal plant to replace obsolete and expensive small generators that serve the area.
Ends